Timer and distributer.



G. CUNO.

TIMER AND DISTRIBUTER.

APPLICATION nun-mm. 21, 1907.

'- 958,908. I PatentedMaiy 24,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WWI Lewes (314 00 wl'oc u. GUNO. TIMER AND DISTRIBUTER. AiPLIOATION FILED DEG. 21, 1907.

958,908. Patented May 24,1910.

2 sums-sum 2.

"being accomplished in the preferable con-- form a .case or closure 3.

)HARLES C'UNO, 0F MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO'THE CONNECTICUT TELE- PHONE & ELECTEIC'COMPANY, INCURP CORPORATION 01 CONNECTICUT.

ORATED, 0F MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A.

TIMER AND DISTRIIB'UIER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Appliozition filed December 21. 1907.

Patented May 24, 1910. serial n. 407,515.

'1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, (Jr-muons Cum, 2. citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, county of New Haven, Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful linprovcments in Timers and. lI ist-rihutcrs of Which the following is e full, clean, and exact description.

My invention relates to an in'iproveincnt in timing and distributing appziratus for use iii-connection with jump-spark igniters for internal combustion engines having one or 1 more cylinders. In the particular form. shown herein the apparatus is designed for a four-cylinder ei'igine.

" The object off-this invention to simplify apparatus of this type'to secure more perfeet insulation and to so arrange the erts that the danger of leakage of the high tension current is substantially eliminated, this struction by an arrangement which permits the user to advance or retard the spark Without rotating that partof the apparatus from which the secondary or high tension Wires project thus avoiding the danger of Weakcning or disturbing the various tcrniinel connections by reason of the repeated worlc ing of the ports to and fro. These and other advantages 'Will be apparentto a mechanic skilled in this art from reading of the following description.

In the drawings Figure 1. is a side elevation ,ofi'i'iyiniproved timing and. distrihutiug'apparatus. Fig. 2 is an end View ofthe same, 'looking from left to right, ihe cove end associated parts being removed. Fig. 3 is?) longitudinal section of Fig. .1. Fig. at is a View of oneof the details of construction detached and shown. partly insection. is a View of another of the details of construction detached. Fig. 6 is a View of certain parts of the timing apparatus dctached; Fig. 7 is a front view of a. portion of.'t he .cover.

1 represents 21,- shaft which is driven by the engine (not shown) in the usual manner, for exainple,.in a fouccycle engine this part is usually driven from the so-called cam shaft. 2 is a hub mounted on shaft 1, the said hub 52 havin its forward end extended to The hub 2 is mounted onfsuitable antifriction bearings the terminal includes to-which the secondary WiIG'lS dircctlyconnccced. It also includes a to be SMG-Wfid into the preferably porcelain.

4-4 adjusted by means of a cone take-up 5,

which in turn may be locked by a suitable nut 6. The wci 'ht of the structure is carried by the a'iititriction hearings, inv this instance ball bearings, so that the shaft l mayiurn freely therein. Projecting from the case 3 is a suitable arm or connecting device 7, by means of which the ca. may be held against rotation or by which said case may he given a movement in either direc lion for the purpose of '(u ilvancing or retardiug the spark.

is a. cover and secondar 1 terminal carrier which makes connection with the case 3 by any suitable coupling means such as the interlocking segn'iental flanges ie--41 which Will permit the part 3 to be turned partially relatively to the part 8 without uncoupling It is by this or an equivalent said members. connection that I am permitted to advance or retard the, spark Without disturbing the position of the secondary terminals and the carrier therefor. The cover 8 constitutes the carrier for the secondary terminals, these latter being indicated at 9----99 In this instance the terminals 9 may represent out going secondary connections and theterminal 9 the return secondiuy. The front of the cover member 8 has perforations through which the terminals pass, and these perforations are of such size that suitable insulation may be introduced for each of said terminals. For a clear understanding it will be necessary to describe only one of these terminals and. the insulation therefor.

Referring to the sectional View, Fig; 3,

the outside member 9 .90

sleeve 10 adapted part 9. This sleeve flangent its inner end and is also centrally bored to receive a contact ball 11 pressed outwardly by means ofe spring 12, the entrance to the ball. cayitybeinq suflicicntly contracted to -prevent the hall from being forced entirely out and yet pern'iittingone surface of the ball to project beyond thefianged head of the sleeve. 13' is a flanged Washer of insulating material,

14. is another Washer, of insulating material. One of these washers is a'daptcdto pass through an openin in the face of the cover 8 (see Fig. 7 an bear against the inner Wall around said opening. -The other cooperating insuletin'gt 1.0 has a. head or member 14 is, adapted to overstand the re- ,duced portion of the insulation 13. The

insulation 13 is suitably boredto permit the sleeve to pass therethrough and is coun-i terbored to receive the flange thereof. It-

' follows that when the parts 9 and 10 are screwed togethefi 10 and terminal. 9. The several terminals ;9 and 9' may be secured in this manner, and the usual hard rubber sleeve extension 9 ma be provided for each of said terminals, a;

'th'ough o'n'e only is shown in the drawing. 7

15 is a ring of suitable insulating materia dered and adapted to rest on the forward edge of the casej3; This ring carriesseg-v ments. 16-'-16,. the same being suitably se cured thereto so as to be completely insu-u lated from the. case and from eachot'her (see Fi s. 2, 3 and 5). he se so as to ace u with the ball termina s 11 and also with t e distributerarm 17. This distributer arm 17 is carried by a block 18 of insulating material fixed upon the'extremity of the shaft 1 in such amanner as to completely insulate the distrihuter 'arm11t3- therefrom. The block 18 carries a central forward extens'i'on'l'l from the distributer arm 17, the said, extension 17. furnishing a contact with the return high'tens'ion' ter- I minal 9%. When the shaft l-is rotated, the

. "so. a

f Y Ij'ranged to slide upon 'the shaft 1. This shaft is provided with a suitable spline 23F and a distributerarm 17 is rotated so'that its end will traverse the several segments 16 suc cessively although it is not essential that. d engage therewith The distribu-y it shou ter arm 17 is preferably tubular so'as to carry a threaded extension 17 to 'erm'it rel-v ative adjustment oftheend'o the arm,

which, whenqpro' e'rly ascertained, may be secured. in lace y locknut 17. Moun'ted onthe shaft p In the preferable construction--this contact [is imthe-"form "of a bevel-edged timer wheel 19, y ie1dingly carried .by,a hinged lever 20 mounted." on. an. arm 21 having a hub 22erkey-way .isforfmd in the inner wall'of the hub 22, inwhich key wayis located by pref- J erence aspring 23 to guarantee'a superior electrical connectionq This spring 23 is preferablyflatQand extends longitudinally offsaid key-way and is turned upfat theends assembled (seeFigs- 3"and 6.) i his same' to}; prevent detachment when spline on tlie shaft 1 serves to' rotate the insulating bbck.18'.' I p v A s ring-j Iconnected at one; end to the 20 V and at the other endto" an on hub 22, furnishes the'mea'ns v 'umof a band 29.

ents 16 are preferably an lar 'l-isthe aomact' for thetiinerp Mecca to yieldingly press the contact roller 19 outwardly. 26 1s a ring of; insulating material mounted in the1case3 and carrying segments 27, each of which may be connected to a common terminal 28 through th'emedi- The segments 27 are grooved to receive the beveled ed e of the contact roller. The se the primar circuit. he primary current may enter t rough the shaft 1 from any suitable source of electrical energy and may proceed thence through the contact 19 and the segments 27 successively to the return primary terminal 28, the latter"; being connected to each of the se ments'27 b1 the connecting band29. It follows, t erefh traverse each of the segments 16 successively, clos ng the primary circuit intermit- "tently.

The position of the timer contact 19 should 1 be such relatively to the distributer arm 17 that the current will be distributed properly to the several hi h tension terminals 9, the'proper relation 0 said parts being well understood. The terminal 28 is insulated from the case 3 by means of the insulating sleeve 30. The insulating rin 26 for the timer se ments 27 is neatly; tted to the inside 0 the case3 and is held therein by ents 27 7 are for re, that'as the D 1 shaft, 1 1s rotated, the ontact wheel 19 will preferably porcelamJ This ring 18 shoul 'means of the terminal 28, which may perform the additional function of a post, said post. being provided with a nut- 31 screw- 'threaded thereon.-' The' insulating ring 15 for the distributer segments 16 is held in the case 3. against rotation in any suitable T manner, as -b a screw orscrews32. 339-33 are spring 0 ips carried by the case 3, the

ends of theisame passing through the flange 3andfserv1ng to limit the degree to which pressed downuntil the cover is slip ed into and stand up sub stant1al1y as shown in Fig. 2, thus serv ingas an abutment to engage the ends of the segmental flanges ;on the cover 2 and check;

the case 3 may be rota'tedrelatively to the I cover Ba'fte'r the'parts are assembled. .In. assembling the parts these springs 33 are the relative rotation of the parts 3 and Other suitablemeans might be substituted to limit this relative rotary movement bf}-v tween theparts 3 and .8.-

'When the' parts are all assembled,1as

12o shown in Fig. 3, it will be s'een'that each 3-3: of the ball contacts 11 will bear against the;

terminals carried by the, insulating ring 15 and the center terminal 17?, pressingagainst the same yieldingly and maintaininga un'ipressure of thespri-ngs vbehind the balls 11 is just sufiicient to ho d the cover 8 properly in engagement with form contact. The

the case 3.

'Whenjthe device is in operation, the

' bright and effective.

; selected and'igemployedi ithout materially frequently chan ceases tension Wires may be suitably connected, in fact, may be rigidly connected close up to the terminals 99. When the engine is started, the shaft 1 is revolved in proper time therewith, and the contact 19 and distributor arm 17 are caused to revolve and cooperate with their respective Contacts in the usual manner. If it is desired to change the time of the spark this may be accomplished by merely shifting the angular position of the case 3 Without disturbing the position of the cover 8 or the hi h tension wires leading therefrom. This s ifting ofthe part 3 relatively to the part 8 secondary circuit connections, because the length of the segments 16 is such as to always face up'in front of the ball contacts 11 at the rear of the secondary terminals 9 (see Fig. 2), the length of said segments 16 being sufficient to afford the maximum range of spark adjustment. By these arrangements and since the time of the spark is ed, the rubbing of the balls 11 against the ace of their respective terminals 16 will always keep the contacts By providing a means in which it is not necessary to shift the secondary circuit terminals, the secondary Wires are not disturbed. This is a decided advantage, becaiise the Working of the secondary Wires to and fro frequently results in an impairment of the insulation and leakage of current. By this arrangement the secondary connections may be made so ositive and rigid as to attain the highest e ciency at all times.

The construction as a Whole is excedingly simple, not only from the standpoint of operation, but also from the standpoint of manufacture. .Various parts may be completed separately and then readily assembled in a most expeditious manner. The various insulations may, by this arrangement, be formed of such material as guarantees the greatest efliciency, for example, some Vitreous material such as porcelain or glass. The particular construction of the timer element has manyadvantages, but since the same independently considered is made the of another application filed by me, it is unnecessary to more fully scribe the construction of this particular feature onset forth the advantages gained thereby. If desired, suitable antifriction hearing may be employed between the case 3 and the cover 8, so that the part-3 may be rotated to change the time of the spark independently of the part 8 with the least pos sible friction. This employment of an antifriction bearing is so obvious, however, as to require no illustration, and it should be understood that any suitable form may be Wlll not disturb the altering the construction or method of operation, or avoiding the'scope of this inven 'tion.

It is, of course, understood that in the drayvings I have elected to illustrate one of the preferred forms of the invention and the various parts thereof, but this may be moditied in various ways.

What I claim is:

1. In 'a timer and distributer, a shaft, a case having a bearing thereon, timer seg ments and distributer segments carried by said case, a timer contact and distributor arm carried by said shaft, means for insulating said sets of segments from each other, a cover for said case, secondary terminals 'carried by but insulated from said cover, said terminals making operative. connection with said distributor segments.-

2. In a timer anddistributer, a shaft, a case having a bearing thereon, a timer contact carried by said shaft, and timer segments carried by said case, a 'distributer arm carriedby said shaft, andgdistributer segments carried by said case, a cover for sand case detachably connected thereto, the latter having relative rotary movement independent of' the cover, secondary contacts carried by said cover and making a sliding connection with said distributor segments to permit the case to be partially rotated relatively to said cover or vice versa, without interrupting the electrical connection of the secondary terminal With said segments.

3. In a timer and distributer, a case, a

cover, timer mechanism, distributer mechanism, the timer mechanism being carried by the case, the distributer mechanism by the cover, a shaft entering said case, bearings between said shaft and case, and means to permit a rotary movement of the case relatively to the cover and to said shaft.

4. In a device of the character described, a shaft, a contact device carried thereby, including a hub fitted to said shaft, a spline for preventing the independent rotation of said hub on said shaft, anda flat contact spring Within the hub carried thereby andbearlng against said spline to hold it against said shaft.

, 5. In a timer and distributer, a case, a carrier, timer mechanism, distributer mechanism, the timer mechanism being carried by the case, the-distributor mechanism by the carrier, a shaft entering said case, bearings between said shaft and case, and means to permita rotary movement of the case relatively to the carrier and to. said shaft.

CHARLES OUNO.

. Witnesses:

L. T. FULLER, .KAT E INE E. OBnIEN. 

